Police have launched a pre-booking investigation into online accounts that spread false information related to the May 18 pro-democracy uprising. A suspect who distributed a fake post in the style of a newspaper article created with artificial intelligence (AI) has also been apprehended and is being questioned.
The Korean National Police Agency National Office of Investigation (NOI) said in a media notice on the 24th that it had launched a pre-booking investigation into 37 accounts that spread false information in violation of the Special Act on the May 18 Democratic Uprising, among others.
Police requested deletion or blocking of 240 problematic posts from the 22nd to the day of the announcement.
The Gwangju police agency apprehended a suspect on the day of the announcement who used AI to create a fake post that looked like a real newspaper article and then distributed it. Police are investigating the suspect regarding the specific posting circumstances and the scope of distribution.
Police said they would continue to respond strictly to spreading false information so that the meaning of the May 18 pro-democracy uprising is not undermined.